Combination hoist, aerial tramway, and automatic dumping device.



No. 858,816. v PATENTED JULY 2, 1 907.

. I P. MAOA. MAGKASKIE. GOMBINATION HOIST, AERIAL TRAMWAY, AND AUTOMATIG DUMPING DEVICE .urmcmron Hum 00m. 1904. nnnnwnn APR. 25. 1997.

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No. 858.816. v PATENTED JULY 2. 190.7.

I. MAGALMAGKASKI-E GOMBINATION HOIST, ABRIAL-TRAMWAY, AND'AUTQMAT IG DUMPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION IILED OQTJ. 1904. RENEWED-APB. 25, 1907.

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owiwzm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER MACALLISTER MACKASKIE, OF BUTLER, NEVADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO KEY PITTMAN, OF TONOPAH, NEVADA.

COMBINATION HOIST, AERIAL TRAMWAY, AND AUTOMATIC DUMPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed October 5,1904. Renewed April 25, 1907. Serial No. 370,236.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER MACALLISTER MACKAS- KIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Nye and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combination Hoist, Aerial Tramway, and Automatic Dumping Device; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use'the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a hoisting, conveying and discharging apparatus, and has for its main object to provide a simple, cheap, durable and efiicient construction for accomplishing the above mentioned purposes; and that is adapted for general use.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that is made up of such simple elements as to especially adapt it for use in inaccessible localities where it is diflicult to transport appliances, and where repairs are always made at a great disadvantage and I intelligence to erect and put it in good running order.

A. still further object of my invention is to provide a rapid method of hoisting, conveying and discharging a loaded bucket, i. a, one in which a loaded bucket can be elevated from a shaft or mine and transferred to the discharge point and returned to the original loading point in the shalt, successively, without a hitch and in a comparatively small unit of time as compared with other known like devices; and which apparatus will ad mit of successful operation under the control of a single operator.

With these objective aims in view my invention, generally stated, consists of an inclined track-wire or other aerial tramway supported longitudinally of a shaft at a suitable elevation therefrom, having a car or wheeled carrier supported for'travel thereon, under the influence of gravity and that is adapted to receive a detachably connected bucket holding and releasing device, having means for attaching a bucket thereto; and a hoisting means for elevating the said bucket holding and releasing device into operative relation and embracement with said carrier,the rope of said hoisting means being operatively connected to the releasing parts of said device, in a manner to utilize the momentum of the arrested traveling carriage, under the pulling strain exerted by said rope, when the paying-out of said rope is stopped.

My invention further consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side eledischarging apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a front eleva: tion of the hoisting bucket holding and releasing device. Figs. 3 and 4 represent like views, in section, of the said bucket holding and releasing device, showing, respectively, the releasing hook and catches thereof, in their projected and retracted positions.

Like numerals indicate like parts in the several figures.-

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 5 designates a shaft or pit that is sunk in the ground for mining purposes.

The surface arrangements, generally, stated, comprise the head-frame 6, arranged immediately above the shaft 5, and a track-wire supporting post 7, located sired place of discharge. The head-frame 6, and post 7, are connected by an inclined track-wire 8. The

of which is arranged at a slight angle, and both of which are connected together by cross-beams 11, 12, and 13, the lowermost one of which is positioned at aheight to provide the necessary head-room required above the shaft 5. By reason of this construction there is provided a trestle or frame-work, that requires a minimum amount of material, as compared with like structures, ordinarily erected for such purposes, and which combines strength with lightness. Mounted on the projecting end of the beam 12, in journal bearings 14, directly above the shaft 5, is the upper hoisting pulley 15, that is preferably made of large diameter to avoid strain upon the hoisting wire cable or rope by sudden change of direction, when moving at a high rate of speed. Mounted on the projecting end of the beam 11, is the guide pulley 16.

The inclined track-wire 8, is stretched taut, at one end, by the tension bar or bolt 17, that is secured to the leg or upright 10, of the head-frame, and which may be turned to apply the proper tension,while its opposite end is likewise secured to a similar tension bar 17, that in turn is secured to the supporting post 7. This single the angle of inclination of which is preferably such that the carrier 18 mounted to travel thereon will move under the influence of gravity in the direction of the post 7.

The carrier 18, essentially consists of a frame-work having vertical sides or uprights 19, that sustain at 1 their upper ends rotatably mounted running or carrying vation of a complete bucket elevating, conveying and at a suitable distance therefrom, at or near the dehead-frame 6, consists of uprights or legs 9 and 10, one v track-wire serves both as a forwarding and return track,"

wheels 20, the working peripheries of which are adapted to bear and travel on the upper portion of the inclined track-wire 8. The lower portion of said uprights 19, are connected and braced by a centrally apertured crosspiece 21, that is arranged above a cross-connecting guide yoke 22, which latter connects with the respective lower ends of said uprights. The yoke 22, is likewise provided with a central guide aperture or opening 23, that is ranged in vertical alinement and register with that of 19, formed in the cross-piece 21. By reason of this latter construction there is provided by said openings 19 and 23, guide-ways for the reception of the body of the bucket holding and releasing device 24, when it is raised to its extreme upward position; and wherein it may be detachably connected in a manner to be hereinafter described. The carrier thus constructed forms a structure that combines rigidity with lightness.

The hoisting rope or cable 25, employed is connected at one end to the bucket holding and releasing device 24, and extends upwards in contact with the guide-pulley l6, and from thence up over the hoisting pulley l5, and from thence downwardly to the winding drum 26, which latter is arranged at the base of the head-frame near the shaft 5; and which may be driven by any suitable prime-mover (not shown).

The carrier 18, is held in its initial position on the track-wire at such times when the bucket holding and releasing device is lowered into the shaft, by the dragging contact of the rope 25 in its descent through the guide openings 19 and 23 of the frame of the carrier.

Having described the general hoisting and conveying means, I will now proceed to describe the novel bucket holding and releasing means or device 24, which as shown comprises an outer cylindrical casing 27, that is provided with oppositely disposed slot-openings 28, intermediate of its ends, and which is sustained and secured to the pedestal 29, of a vertical and axially arranged stem or upstanding draft shaft 30,

The stem 30 in addition to its pedestal 29, comprises a lower shank portion 31, and an upper head portion 32.

The said stem 30 carries at its lower or pedestal end oppositely disposed bucket holding hooks 33, and 34, that project laterally therefrom, the first mentioned one being rigidly secured to said pedestal and terminating in a vertically disposed curved short-arm 33, while the hook 34 is pivotally connected to said pedestal and projects through the opening 34 formed in the outer casing. This last mentioned hook 34, is preferably made camshaped and is provided with a recess 35, and an extending portion that forms a short-arm 36, that is normally held vertically disposed, as shown in Fig. 3, when in its retracted position but which turns on its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 4, to release the bucket handle carried thereby, when liberated.

The hook 34 is normally held in the first mentioned position by a vertically reciprocable locking-sleeve 37, that is provided with open ends and which is of a diameter to fit telescopically within the casing 27, and about the vertically disposed stem 30; and which sleeve normally projects slightly above the upper end of the easing 27. The sleeve is provided, interiorly, at its respective ends with annular bearing flanges 38 and 39.

Mounted on'the shank-portion 31 of the stem 30, is a coiled-spring 40, one end of which rests upon the flange 39, while its opposite end shoulders against the annular rib 41, that projects from the stem 30. The spring '10 thus arranged serves to normally hold the lockingsleeve in its lowermost locking position, to retain the hook 34, as shown in Fig. 3.

42 designates a transversely arranged lifting lover or disk, that is centrally pivoted or hinged on the centrally raised end of the stem 30 at at, and which is normally disposed to bear with its upper edge portion against the flange 38. Projecting centrally from the disk 42, is an upstanding post or rod 43, upon which is sleeved a conical shaped centering bob or shield 41, the function of which is to serve as a centering means for the connected bucket holding and releasing device 24, while the body of the latter is being raised through the apertures 19 and 23, of the carrier-frame, and which also serves as a buffer or shield to avoid injuring the edges of said aperture, when the same is passed therethrough. .The post 43, is connected to the hoisting cable or rope end 25 by means of the eye-bolt 45, that is screwed therein, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and which projects vertically above the nose of the bob it.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that a tilting of the post 43, to one side or the other from its normal vertical position, will be followed by the lifting of the locking-sleeve 37 against the force of the coiled spring 40, that is arranged in opposition thereto, thereby releasing the hook 34 in the manner shown in Fig. 4.

The bucket holding and releasing device 24, is provided also with means for projecting beyond ihc edges of the aperture 23 for detachably engaging with the yoke frame 22 of the carrier 18, when brought into operative relation therewith, and which comprises a pair of oppositely disposed laterally projecting locking catches 46, that consist each of a spring supported lc\'cr 47, pivoted as shown and which is provided with a finger-projection 48, that is arranged to extend into the longitudinally extending slot 49, formed in lhc sleeve 37.

From this construction it will appear that thc vertical reciprocation of the sleeve 37, will cause the swing to and fro of the catch levers through the openings 50 and-the openings 28 of the outer casing 27, which are simultaneously registcrable with the said openings 50.

The operation of the hoisting, conveying and discharging apparatus is substantially as follows: The normal position of the carrier 18, is shown in Fig. 1. Upon the descent of the bucket holding and releasing dcricc 24, into the shaft 5, which is secured by the paying-out and lowering of the attached hoisting rope, thc catches 46, and the movable bucket rcleasinghook are set in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the bucket handles are hung over the respective books 33, and 34. When the bucket is loaded the drum 26 is started in a. direction to elevate said hoisting devices and attached bucket, to a point where the body portion of the said buckct holding and releasing device will enter and pass through the guide aperture 19 and 23 formed, rcspectively, in the cross-piece 2]. and yoke 22, causing the catches 46 to be yieldingly drawn into a retracted posi- I tion, while passing through the guide aperture 23. but which when at a point above said opening will spring out laterally in a manner to project beyond the plane of the contiguous aperture edges of the guide yoke to seat thereon, and thereby sustain the bucket holding i I lit) of the direction of the movement of the hoisting drum,

whereby the hoisting or hauling rope is allowed to pay-out, in a direction to contact with the guide-pulley 16, and to follow the course of the carrier, which latter under the influence of gravity starts on a down-grade in the direction of the post 7, as rapidly as the slack of the paying-out of the rope 25 will permit, and which continues until the movement of the drum is stopped,

in which latter event the rope becomes suddenly taut causing the momentum of the arrested traveling carrier and its load to cause a tilting of the rod 43 (as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1) and the consequent automatic release of the movable hook 34 and the overturn of the bucket, in a manner hereinbefore described. When the movable hook 34 is unlocked the locking sleeve presses against the finger projection or lever 48 that actuates the spring which influences catches 46, and reverses the normal pressure of the spring, viz., to pull the catches in. The catches 46, even after the reversal of pressure of the spring, still continue to rest on the carriage and support the bucket, as the weight of bucket and the holding and releasing device are greater than the pressure exerted by said spring. When the carrier is returned to a point in alinement with the sheave, wheel and shaft, the holding and releasing device is slightly raised, releasing the pressure of weight of bucket and the said device from catches 46, permitting the catch spring to contract catches 46, and thereby release the dumping device from the carrier, and permitting the bucket to descend into the shaft. The latter, device, although detached from the carrier is, however, held in entrapped suspension within the frame by reason of the taut pulling of the rope 25. The return movement of both the carrier and the hoisting devices, is eff ed by a reverse movement of the hoisting drum and a re-winding of the rope 25, until the initial position of said carrier has been reached, whereupon the bucket holding and releasing device and attached bucket is again lowered in to the shaft 5.

One great advantage which is derived from the employment of such an apparatus according to the mode of operation just described, is that the hoisting, conveying, discharging and return movements are successively effected by means that are in direct subservience to one prime controlling element, 1'. e., the hoisting drum, thereby requiring only one operator to do the work that ordinarily requires the service of several men.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent isi 1. In a hoisting, conveying and discharging apparatus, an inclined track, a carrier adapted to travel on said track in a forward and return direction, a bucket holding and releasing device adapted to be detachably suspended in connection with said carrier, :1 hoisting means for elevating the bucket holding and releasing device into operative connection-with said carrier, and'means operated by the hauling rope of said hoisting means when the carrier reaches a given position, for effecting the initial releasing movement of the parts of said bucket holding and releasing device for holding it in deta'chable connection with said carrier; and the discharge of the bucket carried thereby, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track-wire arranged for support at an elevation, a carrier adapted for travel in connection with said trackwire in a forward and return direction, a bucket holding and releasing device adapted to be detachably connected with said carrier, a conveyer bucket, and a hoisting means for elevating the bucket holding and releasing device to and in operative connection with said carrier, said hoisting means comprising a hoisting rope that is adapted to be paid out in the direction of travel of the carriage to a given length, whereby the arrested movement of said rope and carrier will cause the actuation of the bucket releasing means and the discharge of said bucket, substantially as described.

3. A system of hoisting, conveying and discharging, comprising an inclined track-wire having suitable supports, a carrier or car adapted to run on'said track-wire under the influence of gravity, a bucket holding and releasing device that is adapted to be detachably connected to said track carrier, a winding drum, an elevated hoisting pulley and a rope for hoisting said bucket holding and releasing device into engagement with said carrier, and means for holding the bucket and detachably connecting said bucket and the holding and releasing device that are actuated by the pull of the hoisting rope upon the travel of the carrier to the slack limits of said rope, substantially as described.

4. In a means of the class described, the combination of an inclined track supported longitudinally of a shaft at a suitable elevation therefrom and having a car or wheeled carrier supported for travel thereon, that is adapted to receive a detachably connected bucket holding and releas ing device, having means for attaching a bucket; and a hoisting means for elevating said bucket holding and releasing device into operative relation or embrace with said carrier, the rope of said hoisting means being operatively connected to the releasing parts of said bucket holding and releasing device, in such a manner as to utilize the momentum of the arrested traveling carrier upon the stoppage of the paying-out of said connected rope, substantially as described.

5. A system of hoisting, conveying anddischarging comprising in its construction, a headframe and a supporting post, an inclined track-wire connecting at its opposite ends, respectively, with said head-frame and post, a track carrier adapted to run on said inclined trackqvire under the influence of gravity, a bucket holding and releasing device that is adapted to be detachably connected to. said traclccarrier a winding drum located near the base of said head-frame, a hoisting pulley supported by said headframe, a hoisting rope connected with bucket holding and releasing device, that extends in operative relation to said pulley and drum, and a guide pulley arranged on said head-frame in operative contactwith said hoisting rope in its vertical and longitudinal positions, substantially as described.

6. In a bucket holding and releasing device the combina tion of a stem, a pivoted hook carried by said stem, a reciprocable means for locking said pivoted hook, a spring arranged to normally hold said locking means in engagement with said pivoted hook, and an operating lever mounted on said stem for actuating said locking means, substantially as described.

7. In a bucket holding and releasing device, the combination of a stem, a locking sleeve, a spring operatively arranged with relation to said stem and sleeve, a pivoted hook that is engaged normally by said sleeve, and means for positively raising and lowering said sleeve, substan vertically extending stem carrying at its lower end an in- &

10 mounted upon said stem and engaging said sleeve, :1 pair of oppositely disposed spring supported catch levers pivoted to the stein and having engagement, respectively, with the locking sleeve, and a lifting lever arranged in operative relation to said stem and locking sleeve, and a centrally upstanding post extending from said lifting lever, and a conical shaped bob sleeved on the end 01f said post, Sill)- stantially as described.

In testimony whereof. I ailix my signature. in presence of. two witnesses.

PETER M'AoAl'lLiS'll'lli hhuh'ASKlli.

Witnesses II. B. LINI), W. B. PITTMAN. 

